


All I Want From You

by Poochee



Series: LauntFamily!AU [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF, Rush (2013)
Genre: Babies, Baby!Kimi, Canon Compliant, Enemies to Friends, Launt Family AU, M/M, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2014-04-17
Packaged: 2018-01-19 18:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1479847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poochee/pseuds/Poochee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i> He’ll win this for Kimi. He’ll become the Champion for Kimi. He’ll get them money, a reason to live the good life that they deserve. He’ll prove his father wrong, too, and rub it in his face every Christmas that he </i> won <i> something.</i></p>
<p>
  <i>He slides into his car and puts on his helmet, gripping the wheel tightly and slowly driving towards the track, like a hunter stalking its prey.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>That afternoon, he wins first place, but makes an enemy.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Such enemy is Niki Lauda. </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Want From You

**Author's Note:**

> welcoooome nikiiii and here's more single-parent James!  
> thanks for reading <3
> 
> also, if you want to see a moment between either of them, tell me on [tumblr](http://poochee.tumblr.com/ask) and I'll try to fit it in with the fics!

Even though Kimi no longer wakes up during the night, James still rises early. It’s an unfortunate habit. Today, he wakes up just after 7, and realizes he has a situation in his pants.

It’s a little embarrassing. He hasn’t experienced it since he was a teen, but he has a hunch that it has to do with the lack of fucking he’s doing.

He hasn’t been laid in two months and counting. It’s the newest record, ever since he lost his virginity at the age of fifteen.

He can’t call his son a cockblock, either. That’s just rude. Most of his lack of sex has come from _responsibilities_ , and although Kimi does fall into that category, so do the long hours of working. He would really like a weekend for himself, but it’s just not possible. His partying might be behind him, and it scares him a bit, because that’s what he’s been doing ever since he left home. He had jobs, yes, but nothing like _this_. He didn’t have another person to look after, and he doesn’t trust himself around Kimi while black-out drunk.

The only thing he can do is offer himself some quick relief.

So, he leaves his bed quietly, making his way over to Kimi’s crib to quickly checking on him. Breathing, twitching, dreaming. He’s fine.

He would hate to wake up his peacefully sleeping son with the shower, but Kimi’s been a heavy sleeper lately, and James sends a little prayer up to the sky as he turns on the water.

No cries. He’s good.

\--

The Championship is starting the next weekend, and James has asked his mother to watch Kimi that day of the race. She agreed, and James has never been happier. His son is in good hands, and he’ll be doing what he loves: racing.

On the day of the race, it’s beautiful out. His car has been delivered and he’s ready to go. He’s anxious, as always, but not because he’s nervous. Every race means he can die, his car can get in a wreck; he could lose. He’d be a failure.

While he’s emptying his stomach next to his car, Kimi pops into his head. His son is another reason he’s nervous. If he dies, or is seriously injured, Kimi could be without both parents. James could become an unfit parent, and Kimi would be taken away from him.

He gags again, and straightens up, pushing his hair back from his face and taking long, ragged breaths.

He’ll win this for Kimi. He’ll become the Champion for Kimi. He’ll get them money, a reason to live the good life that they deserve. He’ll prove his father wrong, too, and rub it in his face every Christmas that he _won_ something.

He slides into his car and puts on his helmet, gripping the wheel tightly and slowly driving towards the track, like a hunter stalking its prey.

That afternoon, he wins first place, but makes an enemy.

Such enemy is Niki Lauda.

\--

Niki is fast. He’s brash, technical, and can’t take a joke.

Well, it’s what he’s heard so far from the other racers who have met or seen him.

James doesn’t care all that much, doesn’t give Niki a second thought after the German ( _Austrian_ ) calls him out on a risky move he did that brought him his win. He’s just a sore loser and some competition.

Three weeks after that first race, the next is stalled because of something to do with the track or some driver or something James hadn’t been paying complete attention to, so he gets the weekend off.

And since he’s quit his jobs, he gets to spend his time with Kimi.

But, he doesn’t get to enjoy it as much as he had hoped.

The apartment building they live in is being shut down and demolished, to make way for some new building that James couldn’t afford even with his savings. He has to be out by the end of the month. It’s just another inconvenience on his shoulders, something to keep him up at night.

He thinks of his options. He’s _not_ moving back home, that’s for sure. There’s also no friends who would be willing to invite James and Kimi into their own flats, which aren’t much bigger than James’. It would be uncomfortable. He could get his own place again, but the rent everywhere else is too high.

The only option he really does have, is to find a roommate.

He scours the classifieds in the newspaper that Saturday morning, nursing a cup of coffee in his hand and bouncing his knee, running his fingers through his long, messy hair. The phone is ready in front of him, but there’s nothing in James’ price range or the places don’t have enough room.

_Just when you think things are getting better,_ he can’t help but think, chewing on the end of the pen in his other hand.

A shrill little cry from the bedroom tells James that his bundle of joy is awake, and he gives a soft sigh before standing. He heads over to the bedroom, flicking the light on and seeing Kimi on his stomach, lifting his head to look up at the door.

“Oh, good morning, sleepyhead,” James greets his son, making his way over to the crib and lowering one side so he can pick him up. “Sleep well?” He asks, holding Kimi against his chest and pressing a kiss to his forehead, smiling at the gurgles and coos he makes in return. He forgets about everything else for the moment.

He takes Kimi out to the play/changing blanket and lays him there, beginning to carefully unsnap the little buttons on his onesie, “We’re going to have to move, darling,” he tells him in a soft voice, “To a new home. Hopefully somewhere nice and roomy, where you can play around once you begin to crawl…this place is shit, anyway, hey?”

Kimi stares up at him with his piercing eyes, blinking now and then. He begins to kick his legs while James tries to remove his diaper, crying out and fussing. James simply chuckles as he tosses a baby wipe onto his son’s face, making quick work of his wet diaper while Kimi pulls the wipe off his face and begins to wave it around wildly.

“There, a clean baby!” The Brit announces as he secures the little wing, “We’ll have to get you some more nappies, yeah?” He grabs the onesie and tosses it aside, opting for picking Kimi up and pressing their skin together.

“Hungry?” He asks, nuzzling the messy platinum-blond hair as he makes their way to the kitchen.

Kimi tries to eat his hair, so James takes that as a ‘yes’.

\--

He finds an ad a few days later. It’s two bedroom, one bath, with a decent amount of square footage and reasonable rent per month once it’s split between two.

When he calls the number listed below, feeding Kimi a warm bottle of formula, he’s surprised at the heavy accent that greets him.

“Hello?”

He’s heard it somewhere before.

“Hi there,” he greets back, cradling the phone between his shoulder and jaw, “I’m calling about the ad you posted. Two bed, one bath…”

“Yes, I know what I posted,” the curt reply nearly startles James, and now he _knows_ he’s heard this voice before.

It clicks after a moment, and he grins. “Are you Niki Lauda?” He asks, amusement in his voice as he glances down at Kimi, who’s trying to fight his sleep but losing terribly.

The line is quiet for a moment, until Niki speaks again, “Why? Who are you?”

“James Hunt, darling.”

He’s hung up on.

\--

Instead of calling back, James decides to approach Niki after the next race.

He loses to the rat-faced bastard, but he can’t mind. Perhaps it’ll put the other man in a better mood.

“Lauda!” He calls after spotting the Austrian, making his way over with long strides. Niki looks back over his shoulder and visibly sighs, stopping and turning around with a look on his face.

“What? What do you want?” He asks once James is close enough, crossing his arms over his chest and nearly tapping his foot impatiently.

James wonders if he really has anywhere to go or if he just likes to act like he does. “Can we talk? I didn’t take so kindly to being hung up on yesterday.” He tries to give Niki a playful smile, but the Austrian is stone-cold.

“No.” And he turns to walk away.

“Wait!” James grabs his shoulder, and Niki brushes him off with a glare, turning around again, looking close to pissed off so James tries to sell his story quickly, “Please, I really need a new place. The building I’m in is shutting down and I can’t afford any of the other one-bedrooms. They’re too small for what I need, and you’re offering the perfect place for me, and I need to be out of there in less than a week--”

“Isn’t that just how it goes,” Niki grumbles, probably to himself, but James caught it anyway.

He knows he probably looks a little pathetic, because Niki’s glare is softening the longer they stare at one another.

“Please,” he whispers, feeling a frown tug at his lips and his forehead crinkle with both worry and hope.

Niki looks conflicted, shifting his weight between his feet and sucking his bottom lip between his teeth. The air is tense, silent, despite the commotion going on around them.

“Fine,” the Austrian mutters, and James grins widely, “I’ll give you the address and we can make a date for when you can come and see the place.”

“Oh, Niki, I don’t need to see it,” James says, and the other man looks skeptical.

“You are that desperate?” He asks, and the Brit nods without shame. Anything for Kimi.

Oh, shit. Kimi.

“Yes, I am,” he clears his throat, “But, can we talk about some…things? Later?”

Niki’s lips purse again, and one of his eyebrows go up, “What do you think we’re doing now, Hunt?”

“Well, can we go somewhere else?”

“What is wrong with right here?”

“It’s…personal.”

Niki looks curious, and he gives James an once-over before nodding, “Sure. Follow me.” He’s glad Niki can respect _some_ things.

\--

“ _You_ have a _son_?”

“Oh, Niki, you wound me,” James pouts, unzipping his overalls and shrugging it from his shoulders.

Niki’s looking at him in disbelief, holding onto the steering wheel even though he isn’t driving. He took them to his car for the semi-privacy, but it isn’t exactly private with the windows rolled down and the radio playing softly to fill any awkward silences.

Niki blinks, “No, no… _you_ , James Hunt, have a son? A living, breathing baby?”

“People always seem to be surprised,” James mutters as he ties sleeves around his waist, watching a couple pass by the car before turning back to Niki. “He’s the deciding factor in where we choose to live, and so far, your flat is looking like the real deal.”

Niki shakes his head, running his fingers through his curls, which James notes are a lovely chocolate brown colour.

“He’s very good in temperament, doesn’t cry unless he wants something. Sleeps through the night, naps during the day. Also very, very cute…he’ll break your heart, Lauda.” This is the proudest James has probably ever sounded about Kimi, to a stranger, at least.

Niki slumps back into his chair, glancing over at James again. They stare at one another again, and James is honestly surprised at how much Niki isn’t sounding like or being an asshole, like the first day they met. He’d been swearing and yelling, for fuck’s sake, yet here he is now, calm and stressed like a normal person.

“I’m desperate, too,” he admits in a soft voice, and it’s James’ turn to be surprised.

“Really?” The proud Niki Lauda, desperate?

“Yeah…” Niki looks at the dashboard of his car, his lips pursed again, “I have been living there for less than three months, and I am behind on the rent already. A roommate is the only option for me.”

James looks away from him, licking his lips and staring at himself in the little side mirror, seeing Niki, too. They’re in the same boat; they’re the solution to each other’s problem.

“If you meet him, do you think it’ll convince you a little bit more?” He asks, breaking the silence that’s settled between them.

He sees Niki smirk through the little mirror.

“You can try.”

\--

The next day, James packs a backpack full of diapers, bottles, formula, and extra clothes for Kimi before they go off to find Niki’s place.

It’s rather warm, so James dresses Kimi in a onesie and leaves him like that. Kimi doesn’t mind. James wishes he were so lucky, but opts for shorts and a t-shirt instead, and places his little boy into the carrier before taking him down to the car.

It takes them a little longer than usual to find the place. James knows this city like the back of his hand, yet they’re late. The building is closer to downtown and James finds himself checking the address on the ripped piece of paper Niki had given him yesterday as he slows his car in front of a tall building.

It’s brown, brick, with about five stories. It doesn’t look that bad, and there’s a park just a couple of blocks back that he could take Kimi to once he got older.

Older. He wanted Kimi to stay this age forever, a baby, his to look after and care for. But sometimes, he couldn’t wait for Kimi to dress and feed himself, too. James has a lot of mixed feelings these days.

“Well, this must be it, Kimy,” he says as he looks out of the window at the building before looking in the rear view mirror and finding Kimi sucking on a colourful little ring of plastic keys.

“Let’s find a place to park and we’ll go inside…”

\--

Fourth floor, door C.

He knocks twice, holding Kimi against his hip with his backpack slung over the other shoulder. Kimi has the keys in his hands, looking around curiously, until both of their attention is back on the opening door.

Niki looks mildly ticked-off, but James has taken to seeing that as his resting face, so he could be wrong. The Austrian’s gaze goes from James to Kimi, looking at the almost-five-month-old before muttering, “You’re late.”

“Yes, we’re terribly sorry, Niki,” James says, gently nudging Kimi and looking at him, “Aren’t we?”

Kimi gurgles and Niki lets them in.

The entrance leads into an open living room, beige carpet on the floor and most likely a balcony on the other side of the room. Just to the left of the living room is probably the kitchen, and there’s a long hallway in front of them.

“I’ll give you a quick tour,” Niki mutters, eyeing Kimi as he passes, and leads them towards the kitchen after James leaves his bag at the door.

Against the wall to the left of the entrance is a kitchen table with three chairs. A stove and oven are across from it, along with counters and cupboards, and just beside Niki is the fridge.

“Kitchen,” Niki says, and James looks out of the window just across from him. There’s a dying plant on the sill, and the window opens up to the fire escape.

Niki leads them down the hall. The first door is just a closet for cleaning supplies. The second is the bathroom, with white tile and a small window in the shower wall. There’s a separate tub, which James is thankful for.

“Bathroom.”

Kimi fusses, so James puts him on the other hip.

The last two doors are the bedrooms, the same size, except one is lived in and the other is filled with what looks like storage.

“This would be your bedroom,” Niki says, reaching in and flicking the light switch on, “I will put those things in my room, so there is no need to worry about them…”

James gives a nod and Niki shuts the light, turning them around and heading back to the living room. The bedroom will easily fit his bed and Kimi’s crib, along with their dressers.

“That’s all?” James asks once they’re back in the living room, the awkward tour over and done with.

Niki raises a brow, “There’s the balcony, but I rarely use it.”

“I smoke, so I guess I will be,” James mutters, heading over to the sliding doors and peeking out of the vertical blinds. Kimi grumbles as the sun hits his face, so James turns back around to see Niki standing by the coffee table.

“Well?”

James looks to Kimi, who looks back at him. “Well?”

Kimi tosses his toy onto the floor, and it’s settled.

\--

“Well, Hunt,” Niki mutters as he watches James sit on the floor with Kimi, the little boy kicking his legs while his father tries to change him on a towel, “You were not lying about him being cute.”

“Of course he’s cute!” James chuckles, grabbing a hold of Kimi’s foot and pressing a kiss to his little toes. Kimi giggles and flaps his arms, looking the part of a happy baby.

“You have not told me his name yet.”

James frowns and looks over at the other driver, thinking for a moment before asking, “I haven’t?”

“No.” Niki looks a bit amused, resting his chin on his hand, leaning against the arm of the couch.

“Kimi-Matias Räikkönen,” he states proudly, pulling a new diaper out of the backpack.

Niki looks surprised, “Finnish?”

“His mother.”

“Ah.” Niki looks away as James changes the little Finn. “And where is she?”

“Probably in Finland by now.”

“Probably?”

James doesn’t know why he’s skirting around the truth. He takes a breath and lets it out in a sigh, “She died after giving birth to Kimi. She gave him his first feeding, named him, but something went wrong in her brain or something and she just…” He shrugged, honestly not knowing what to say, “The hospital phoned me once they found my information, and I went over and picked him up…”

He powders the little creases and quickly does up the diaper, smiling down at Kimi, “And now we’re here.”

Niki doesn’t say anything. He just stares at the two blonds, his brows furrowed, until James looks at him.

“We don’t need your pity or anything, Lauda,” he mutters, “I don’t want you to take us in just because of our little sob story. It happened, we healed, and now we’re moving on...you just so happened to have the solution to our main problem.”

He picks Kimi up and holds him against his chest, wishing he wasn’t wearing a shirt. The skin-to-skin contact is just as therapeutic for James as it is for Kimi.

He’s rubbing Kimi’s back in hopes of putting him to sleep when Niki speaks, “I do not really care what has happened to you and your son, Hunt.” His voice is thoughtful, maybe a little reflective, “I will not judge you on that. All I want is a roommate that can pay the rent and not distract me from racing.”

James smiles and presses a kiss to Kimi’s messy hair, peeking over at Lauda, “When can we move in?”

Niki sighs and looks over at the clock on the wall, as if it’ll tell him the answer.

“Give me two days.”


End file.
